Exposed Vocals just caught an exclusive interview with ‘SWSHR’
SWSHR (Wyatt Morrison) is a Seattle-grown musician based in Jazz and Hip-Hop. His debut album, Plantasia (which has yet to be released), is the compilation of years worth of musical progression and hundreds of hours of rewriting. SWSHR has been influenced by such musicians as Robert Glasper, Mac Miller, Anderson Paak., and Chance the Rapper. SWSHR will be releasing another project in the coming months with Cambridge-based producer D-Dub, a good friend at Colorado College where he attends school. Find SWSHR on instagram @smokeypokie, on twitter @dooobiensac, and on SoundCloud @SWSHR.
Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?
SWSHR: I grew up in Seattle, Washington on the north side of town. My parents pushed me to start playing piano at an early age, and I continued to play and progress throughout highschool in the Garfield High School Jazz Band. Around junior year of highschool, I decided to start rapping for fun with my best friends Henry and Tommy. I slowly progressed and started to take it a little more seriously, although I couldn’t record without a mic. Getting equipment was definitely the deciding factor in me becoming a productive musician.
Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?
SWSHR: In highschool I discovered my love for visual art as well, and started to make stickers with my boy Henry. SWSHR ended up being the name I tagged my stickers with, and I liked the ring of it as a general art persona. It’s also the name of the most common cigarillo (Swisher Sweets) from my highschool days.
Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
SWSHR: I’ve always been a huge proponent of free music. I make music for the people to enjoy, and the only payment I want to take away from it all is the joy I feel performing and recording. Chance the Rapper has been a huge influence in me pursuing this dream; I’ve followed Chance since his 10 Day tape, and he has since become such an inspiration for me as a musican.
Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?
SWSHR: The one tip I have is to just get out there. Don’t become discouraged by people telling you that you’re trash, because even if you are you will progress and not be so bad after a while! Start recording one day, and don’t stop until you’re satisfied with the end product.
Exposed Vocals: Do you ever make mistakes during performances? How do you handle that?
SWSHR: Since I began my rap career by freestyling for the most part, I have become accustomed at stumbling and stuttering. When I forget lyrics while performing, I can usually just freestyle until the lyrics come back to me. The audience doesn’t flinch like I do, so I guess I can disguise my mistakes well!
Exposed Vocals: Do you tour? Anything interesting happen on tour that you think our readers would enjoy hearing about?
SWSHR: I haven’t ever toured besides this last summer with the Garfield High School Jazz band. We toured around France, Switzerland and Italy for about a month.
Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?
SWSHR: When I’m in the right headspace, I can bust out a whole track one a plane flight or a bus ride. I take a lot of inspiration from Chance the Rapper, Anderson Paak. and Mac Miller for my writing, especially on my first single Dang! (Remix) which includes both Paak and Mac.
Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?
SWSHR: Since I’m fairly new to the scene, all of my music is on SoundCloud. Hit up my page @SWSHR to take a look-see!
Exposed Vocals: What are some really embarrassing songs that we might find on your mp3 player?
SWSHR: I would probably say a Ke$ha song or something…for the most part I’m proud of my music taste though. I usually grab AUX as soon as possible so I don’t have to listen to something shitty.
Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?
SWSHR: Oh shit! I would probably buy some studio time, a real nice mic, and lock myself in the studio til I had another album. Then I’d take that tape across the world and go to Moroccan medinas and hand out my mixtape like these guys in front of my highschool used to do.
Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?
SWSHR: My parents (love you Mom!!!) just bought me the nicest piece of equipment I’ve ever played on. They bought me an Alesis Vi 61 MIDI Controller, and I’ve been busy making beats and playing gigs in my band at college with it ever since it arrived. This summer I will probably invest in a microphone to drop a tape before school starts in the fall!
Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
SWSHR: I promote a lot on my snapchat, Instragram, twitter, and my facebook! I really love sharing my photos on Instagram, so sharing my music there is preferred.
Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?
SWSHR: I would probably get Paak on drums, Robert Glasper on keys, D’Angelo on back up vocals, and Esperanza Spalding on bass. We’d be so killer oh my god. I’ve been listening to Glasper ever since I started listening to jazz in 6th grade.
Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
SWSHR: I have my debut solo album coming out in the next few weeks, titled Plantasia! I’m also working with Cambridge, Massachusetts producer D-Dub, a good friend of mine at school. I will also be collaborating with a few Seattle artists in the coming months as well! I’m super excited for the future of my music.
Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
SWSHR: I would probably focus most of my efforts into my visual art. I made a lot of the art for my album cover, which includes a picture taken by my roommate Matt. I have a lot of friends helping me with this project in so many different aspects, I should probably stop calling it a solo album!
Exposed Vocals: Do you remember buying your first album? Who was it? What was going through your head?
SWSHR: I don’t recall my first album purchase, but I did have this little radio that I got from a giftbag after one of my homies’ birthday parties as a kid. I listened to the local rap station, Kube 93, and would bump T.I. and Jeezy and Andre 3000 on the busride to school. I loved the breats and the rhythmic abilities of it all, and I think that spurred my love of hip-hop.
Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?
SWSHR: At Colorado College, where I go to school, I only take one class for a three and a half weeks. Although the courses are insanely intense, I have a good amount of time to do music if I want to. I play in a band as well, called FROG, and we play gigs every other weekend or so.
Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2017?
SWSHR: Stay posted for my solo album as well as my tape with D-Dub! It’s going to be an incredible year for my music, I already know it..
